HIT & MISS: Music Advertising Endorsements
Andrew Hazard Hickey runs through the hits and misses of musicians in commercials
Words Andrew Hickey
HIT & MISS // MUSIC ADVERTISING ENDORSEMENTS. Scroll through the gallery to see them all.
HIT // NAS & AZ – SPRITE:
Any talk of music and advertising, particularly when it come to hip-hop, would be remiss without mentioning Sprite. The clear citrus drink earned itself major cred in the mid-90s by looking back to classic rap moments for its TV advertising. After working with electronic music pioneer Raymond Scott and straight-to-video comedy pioneer Jim Varney (aka Ernest) they looked to hip-hop. Working with respected artists like A Tribe Called Quest and KRS-One, the crown jewel is their ad spot featuring Nas and AZ recreating a scene from the legendary film Wild Style. A triumph on all fronts the people involved clearly knew what was up.
MISS // MICHAEL JACKSON – PEPSI:
Overlooking his circus-like personal life, Michael Jackson is best remembered as the icon behind hits like Thriller and Smooth Criminal. One recorded effort that doesn’t make the list is his jingle for Pepsi and their “New Generation” campaign. It was 1984, a simpler time when MJ was seen as a wholesome (black) entertainer, the perfect man to pitch sugary drinks to the kidz. Mike recorded a TV spot that included him changing the classic line “Billy Jean is not my lover” to the rather shameless “You’re the Pepsi Generation.” He is accompanied by his brothers and Alfonso Ribeiro (aka Carlton Banks), the only saving grace.
HIT // METHOD MAN – SOUR PATCH KIDS:
For a crew that has kept it so gutter for almost 20 years Wu-Tang Clan has surprisingly taken part in a lot of advertising campaigns. It started in 1993 when they were fresh out the gate. In an odd-pairing, they teamed with Nintendo to promote their new Super Game Boy. The ad was pulled and never aired, due to concern that the spot glorified graffiti. Good thing Method Man has reignited the flame with his epic World Gone Sour. The extended ad features an original song promoting the sweet and sour treats, including a line about a penis pump. That’s easily a win.
MISS // MC Hammer – KFC, TACO BELL, LAY’S:
As hip-hop’s first true megastar MC Hammer laid the blueprint for all to follow, from Diddy to Kanye. With his inoffensive gospel-inspired rap Hammer and his puffy balloon pants skyrocketed to the top, before losing it all just a couple of years later. As someone who clearly had no shame Hammer answered the call of seemingly every advertiser. In a spot for KFC he is shown salivating over a box of chicken, while his spot for Mexican food chain Taco Bell has him spouting a line about running for the border. For Lay’s potato chips he lands in someone’s backyard before launching into his dance routine. Can’t touch him.
HIT // MC EIHT & DJ POOH - ST. IDES:
Before Cristal, Patrón and hip-hop’s other favourite alcoholic drinks there was malt liquor. In the 90s the reigning king was St. Ide’s, thanks in large part to their ingenious marketing aimed at the hip-hop generation. Anybody that was anybody with rap credibility got in on it from Ice Cube to Rakim. The finest example however would have to be the spot featuring MC Eiht & DJ Pooh. The West Coast legends ride around Cali in a classic whip, while accompanied by weird montages. The ad is so effortlessly smooth, which is almost the antithesis of the experience when drinking malt liquor.
MISS // FACELESS RAPPER DUDE – KOOL-AID:
In the early 90s hip-hop began to prove its growing influence not just on teens but younger adolescents as well. This was the perfect opportunity for advertisers to pounce on an ever-expanding market. As a colourful powdered drink full of sugar, Kool-Aid was almost tailored made for such an audience. The ridiculous ad spot features the beat for Hip Hop Hooray yet no appearance from Naughty By Nature. Instead there’s a nameless performer rapping about how “super fruity” Kool-Aid is. As the cherry on top you could even hand-in four Kool-Aid labels at Foot Locker and get a free Koosh Yo-Yo. Everybody say “yo yo Koosh.”
HIT // MILLI VANILLI - CAREFREE:
Few one-hit wonders can match the glorious crash and burn of dreadlocked German duo Milli Vanilli. Capturing the minds of many with their hybrid of poppy R&B and commercial hip-hop they nabbed a Grammy for Best New Artist, beating out Neneh Cherry and Tone Lōc. It all came crashing down however when it was proven that they had been lip-syncing the whole time. Teaming with Carefree bubble gum they set out to redeem themselves and created one of music’s greatest ad spots. Proving they have a sense of humour the fellas poked fun at their lip-syncing past. Shame the music thing didn’t pick up again after that.
MISS // MARY J. BLIGE - BURGER KING:
Many ads have been called into question for their racist undertones. Whether intentional or not they have stirred controversy, which if you ask any business people is a good thing. There is a difference between good and bad controversy however, something that Burger King and Mary J. Blige proved with their union. The fast food chain was looking to introduce its new Chicken Snack Wrap and what better way to do that than enlisting an R&B singer. The ad features Mary singing about the ingredients of the wrap, including “crispy chicken. “ There was outcry that it reinforced negative stereotypes and was quickly pulled. You can’t win’em all.
HIT // MARVIN GAYE - COCA-COLA:
Commercial tie-ins are not just for rappers or one-hit wonders either. In the 1960s some of music’s most respected artists got in on the act when Coca-Cola came hollering. Aiming to make their caffeinated drink hip, or whatever the 60s equivalent was, they signed on the likes of Aretha Franklin, The Who and even Marvin Gaye for their “Things Go Better with Coke” campaign. These radio jingles were not just any old ad, these were original songs with Coke product placement slyly snuck into the lyrics. “When you need a lift it’s good to have around.” Marvin could have easily been singing about the other coke.
MISS // KID ‘N PLAY - SPRITE:
Along with the aforementioned MC Hammer, the often-ridiculed duo of Kid ‘N Play ushered in a new era of family friendly rap. With their clean-cut persona and wholesome music they were the ideal pitchmen for any self-respecting company looking for cred. Before reinventing the music-advertising game in the late 90s, Sprite took their first stab at hip-hop relevance with a rudimentary ad featuring some product placement rap and dancing. For such a wholesome crew though there is a lot of potential innuendo, including the lines “I like to Sprite a lot” and “I like the Sprite in you.”
The art of balancing art with commerce is a bitch. If you don’t believe there is an art to it just ask any defensive advertising guru. The artistic pretension makes them sleep better at night. If these endorsements do work, not only do you get your brand associated with the cool factor of the artists involved, you also open yourself up to potential dollars from a new group of consumers. Unless you’re hawking Metamucil or Viagra, advertisers will forever be aiming for those much-coveted adolescent and teenage demographics. After all they are able to get their parents to shell out cash at their whim.
When you’re a kid it’s all well and good to see your heroes pushing artificially flavoured treats and novelties. Your sense of self-righteousness at the sight of such gross consumerism isn’t formed until later years. When done right though these commercial tie-ins can be damn right convincing, especially if you’re an impressionable young’n.
The ties between music stars and products dates back to the 1950s when country music stars had entire shows sponsored by washing detergent and oatmeal companies. In the swinging 60s, before the hippie revolution, Coca-Cola had every artist imaginable singing their carbonated praises. Once hip-hop truly nestled itself into American culture in the mid-1980s it opened up a whole new goldmine for advertisers. From McDonald’s employing rapping chicken nuggets to Miller Lite using comedian Joe Piscopo (doing an impression of The Fat Boys) to sell their piss-weak beer it has been tried.
So we celebrate the good, the bad and the blatant in our countdown of advertising’s best and worst music tie-ins. Did we miss an ad? Let us know!
HIT & MISS // MUSIC ADVERTISING ENDORSEMENTS. Scroll through the gallery to see them all.
HIT // NAS & AZ – SPRITE:
Any talk of music and advertising, particularly when it come to hip-hop, would be remiss without mentioning Sprite. The clear citrus drink earned itself major cred in the mid-90s by looking back to classic rap moments for its TV advertising. After working with electronic music pioneer Raymond Scott and straight-to-video comedy pioneer Jim Varney (aka Ernest) they looked to hip-hop. Working with respected artists like A Tribe Called Quest and KRS-One, the crown jewel is their ad spot featuring Nas and AZ recreating a scene from the legendary film Wild Style. A triumph on all fronts the people involved clearly knew what was up.
MISS // MICHAEL JACKSON – PEPSI:
Overlooking his circus-like personal life, Michael Jackson is best remembered as the icon behind hits like Thriller and Smooth Criminal. One recorded effort that doesn’t make the list is his jingle for Pepsi and their “New Generation” campaign. It was 1984, a simpler time when MJ was seen as a wholesome (black) entertainer, the perfect man to pitch sugary drinks to the kidz. Mike recorded a TV spot that included him changing the classic line “Billy Jean is not my lover” to the rather shameless “You’re the Pepsi Generation.” He is accompanied by his brothers and Alfonso Ribeiro (aka Carlton Banks), the only saving grace.
HIT // METHOD MAN – SOUR PATCH KIDS:
For a crew that has kept it so gutter for almost 20 years Wu-Tang Clan has surprisingly taken part in a lot of advertising campaigns. It started in 1993 when they were fresh out the gate. In an odd-pairing, they teamed with Nintendo to promote their new Super Game Boy. The ad was pulled and never aired, due to concern that the spot glorified graffiti. Good thing Method Man has reignited the flame with his epic World Gone Sour. The extended ad features an original song promoting the sweet and sour treats, including a line about a penis pump. That’s easily a win.
MISS // MC Hammer – KFC, TACO BELL, LAY’S:
As hip-hop’s first true megastar MC Hammer laid the blueprint for all to follow, from Diddy to Kanye. With his inoffensive gospel-inspired rap Hammer and his puffy balloon pants skyrocketed to the top, before losing it all just a couple of years later. As someone who clearly had no shame Hammer answered the call of seemingly every advertiser. In a spot for KFC he is shown salivating over a box of chicken, while his spot for Mexican food chain Taco Bell has him spouting a line about running for the border. For Lay’s potato chips he lands in someone’s backyard before launching into his dance routine. Can’t touch him.
HIT // MC EIHT & DJ POOH - ST. IDES:
Before Cristal, Patrón and hip-hop’s other favourite alcoholic drinks there was malt liquor. In the 90s the reigning king was St. Ide’s, thanks in large part to their ingenious marketing aimed at the hip-hop generation. Anybody that was anybody with rap credibility got in on it from Ice Cube to Rakim. The finest example however would have to be the spot featuring MC Eiht & DJ Pooh. The West Coast legends ride around Cali in a classic whip, while accompanied by weird montages. The ad is so effortlessly smooth, which is almost the antithesis of the experience when drinking malt liquor.
MISS // FACELESS RAPPER DUDE – KOOL-AID:
In the early 90s hip-hop began to prove its growing influence not just on teens but younger adolescents as well. This was the perfect opportunity for advertisers to pounce on an ever-expanding market. As a colourful powdered drink full of sugar, Kool-Aid was almost tailored made for such an audience. The ridiculous ad spot features the beat for Hip Hop Hooray yet no appearance from Naughty By Nature. Instead there’s a nameless performer rapping about how “super fruity” Kool-Aid is. As the cherry on top you could even hand-in four Kool-Aid labels at Foot Locker and get a free Koosh Yo-Yo. Everybody say “yo yo Koosh.”
HIT // MILLI VANILLI - CAREFREE:
Few one-hit wonders can match the glorious crash and burn of dreadlocked German duo Milli Vanilli. Capturing the minds of many with their hybrid of poppy R&B and commercial hip-hop they nabbed a Grammy for Best New Artist, beating out Neneh Cherry and Tone Lōc. It all came crashing down however when it was proven that they had been lip-syncing the whole time. Teaming with Carefree bubble gum they set out to redeem themselves and created one of music’s greatest ad spots. Proving they have a sense of humour the fellas poked fun at their lip-syncing past. Shame the music thing didn’t pick up again after that.
MISS // MARY J. BLIGE - BURGER KING:
Many ads have been called into question for their racist undertones. Whether intentional or not they have stirred controversy, which if you ask any business people is a good thing. There is a difference between good and bad controversy however, something that Burger King and Mary J. Blige proved with their union. The fast food chain was looking to introduce its new Chicken Snack Wrap and what better way to do that than enlisting an R&B singer. The ad features Mary singing about the ingredients of the wrap, including “crispy chicken. “ There was outcry that it reinforced negative stereotypes and was quickly pulled. You can’t win’em all.
HIT // MARVIN GAYE - COCA-COLA:
Commercial tie-ins are not just for rappers or one-hit wonders either. In the 1960s some of music’s most respected artists got in on the act when Coca-Cola came hollering. Aiming to make their caffeinated drink hip, or whatever the 60s equivalent was, they signed on the likes of Aretha Franklin, The Who and even Marvin Gaye for their “Things Go Better with Coke” campaign. These radio jingles were not just any old ad, these were original songs with Coke product placement slyly snuck into the lyrics. “When you need a lift it’s good to have around.” Marvin could have easily been singing about the other coke.
MISS // KID ‘N PLAY - SPRITE:
Along with the aforementioned MC Hammer, the often-ridiculed duo of Kid ‘N Play ushered in a new era of family friendly rap. With their clean-cut persona and wholesome music they were the ideal pitchmen for any self-respecting company looking for cred. Before reinventing the music-advertising game in the late 90s, Sprite took their first stab at hip-hop relevance with a rudimentary ad featuring some product placement rap and dancing. For such a wholesome crew though there is a lot of potential innuendo, including the lines “I like to Sprite a lot” and “I like the Sprite in you.”
The art of balancing art with commerce is a bitch. If you don’t believe there is an art to it just ask any defensive advertising guru. The artistic pretension makes them sleep better at night. If these endorsements do work, not only do you get your brand associated with the cool factor of the artists involved, you also open yourself up to potential dollars from a new group of consumers. Unless you’re hawking Metamucil or Viagra, advertisers will forever be aiming for those much-coveted adolescent and teenage demographics. After all they are able to get their parents to shell out cash at their whim.
When you’re a kid it’s all well and good to see your heroes pushing artificially flavoured treats and novelties. Your sense of self-righteousness at the sight of such gross consumerism isn’t formed until later years. When done right though these commercial tie-ins can be damn right convincing, especially if you’re an impressionable young’n.
The ties between music stars and products dates back to the 1950s when country music stars had entire shows sponsored by washing detergent and oatmeal companies. In the swinging 60s, before the hippie revolution, Coca-Cola had every artist imaginable singing their carbonated praises. Once hip-hop truly nestled itself into American culture in the mid-1980s it opened up a whole new goldmine for advertisers. From McDonald’s employing rapping chicken nuggets to Miller Lite using comedian Joe Piscopo (doing an impression of The Fat Boys) to sell their piss-weak beer it has been tried.
So we celebrate the good, the bad and the blatant in our countdown of advertising’s best and worst music tie-ins. Did we miss an ad? Let us know!
Andrew Hickey
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